


Best Friends Forever

by gingayellow



Category: Power Rangers R.P.M., Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-24
Updated: 2016-05-06
Packaged: 2018-05-03 04:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5275766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingayellow/pseuds/gingayellow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[Fusion AU with Power Rangers RPM] Doctor J just wants to be Doctor I's best friend. [WiP, warnings include kidnapped scientists, mentioned brainwashing attempts, problematic relationships, OC death]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ages ago, back when fandom assumed Go-Busters would be adapted (and more than a few fans were suggesting it as a sequel to RPM), I tried my hand at it--but with the Go-Busters themselves as the characters. I wrote a gen story with Ryuuji that I enjoyed thinking up, and I've been writing it in the back of my head, off and on, since then. It's just now that I'm attempting a sequel. It's very long and unfinished, and I can't put a definite date on the completion, but I will keep trying. (PS, see if you can spot the TNG reference.)

Title: Best Friends Forever (1/2)  
Fandom: Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters/Power Rangers RPM  
Characters/Pairing: Iwasaki Ryuuji/Jin Masato  
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: Not mine, anything mentioned here by name isn't mine  
Warnings: Kidnapped scientists, mentioned brainwashing attempts, problematic relationships (this will not be a happy fic).  
Notes: Ages ago, back when fandom assumed Go-Busters would be adapted (and more than a few fans were suggesting it as a sequel to RPM), I tried my hand at it--but with the Go-Busters themselves as the characters. I wrote a gen story with Ryuuji that I enjoyed thinking up, and I've been writing it in the back of my head, off and on, since then. It's just now that I'm attempting a sequel. It's very long and unfinished, and I can't put a definite date on the completion, but I will keep trying.

Doctor J really, really liked Doctor I.

He had liked him since he’d first met Doctor I. He was smart, and capable, and built some of the best robots Doctor J had seen in his life. But of course, a lot of people Doctor J knew built great robots. With Doctor I, however, it was different. Doctor J was also tall, and quiet, and a lot of times he seemed sad. He wasn’t crying or anything, but Doctor J would find him right before they had work, staring at one of the holo-images the directors had put up so it looked like they had windows, and he seemed very far away.

It wasn’t the first time Doctor J had seen someone when they were sad, but it was the first time he felt a **need** to do something about it. That was when he realized that he really, really liked Doctor I.

The only problem know was that he wasn’t sure if Doctor I liked him.

Doctor I wasn’t mean. He was always polite, and did his share of the work. But he didn’t talk a lot. He was even quieter than Doctor K and Doctor R. He had tried to get Doctor I to talk to him, of course—complimenting him on his work, asking his if he wanted share a lunch, or if he wanted to play robots. But every time, he got a polite, quiet refusal.

So Doctor J decided he was going to have to impress Doctor I, if he wanted to earn his friendship.

He waited until for a day that was mostly busy work. He and Doctor I were double checking some equations. That was a low security risk, so there were no guards—just a security camera.

“Hey,” he said to Doctor I. “Are you having fun?”

“No.” There was no heat in Doctor I’s tone. But it was also clear that he did not want to talk.

But Doctor J suspected that he would soon.

When the device began working, the buzz was just loud enough to get Doctor I’s attention from his console. “What is that—”

“That is what I’ve been working on last week.” Doctor J put the blocker—which was shaped like a bug, because bugs were awesome—on the table. “It recorded us working, and edited it enough so nothing looks unusual to the security camera. It also blocks out noise, so we can talk freely—for about two minutes.”

Before, Doctor I would only glance at him when needed. Now, he stared at Doctor J with wide eyes. “How did you…”

Doctor J leaned forward, grinning. “Talk to me after dinner, and I’ll tell you.”

The bug blocker (which Doctor J decided just then was what he was going to call it) beeped, which meant the security cameras would work around the programming in roughly 20 seconds. Thankfully, Doctor I understood immediately, turning back to his console… but not before nodding.

Doctor J smiled to himself. He and Doctor I were going to be best friends forever. He just knew it.

\--

Doctor J was trying to pretend that his grey, pasty meal was actually candy when Doctor I took a seat across from him. “Hello.” Doctor I smiled, awkwardly. “Is your device on?”

“The bug blocker? Yeah. And I always eat dinner early, so we got plenty of time to talk.” He smiled back. “Seven whole minutes.”

“Hmm.” Doctor I leaned forward. “I am very interested in that device. And just how you learned to trick the guards. Can you… can you do more than block video cameras?”

“Of course. It’ll take me some time, and some help, but I’ve been in this place as long as I can remember. I know how to get around things.”

“I see.” Doctor I wasn’t smiling anymore, but he wasn’t leaving. Doctor J decided to take that as a good sign. “I would like to help you with that.”

“Okay. But on one condition.”

Doctor I frowned, but said, “Name it.”

“You and I become best friends forever!”

“Wait. What?”

“C’mon, Doctor I! We’re both scientists, we work together every day, and we both love robots—and I do see you getting excited about them, sometimes. And you look really sad a lot of time, and I know I’m super lonely. We should totally be best friends.”

“… All right. All right, I’ll do that. I’ll be your friend—”

“My best friend.”

“Your best friend, and together, we’ll work on being able to get some more freedom.”

“Yay!” Unfortunately, that was when the bug blocker beeped. “We have twenty seconds, Doctor I.”

“Of course. We’ll talk again tomorrow.” Then Doctor I leaned in again. “But if we’re going to be friends,” and he was whispering, so Doctor J had to lean in as well to hear him, “you should know that my real name is Ryuuji.”

“Oh,” Doctor J managed.

After that, it was back to normal. He ate, studied, and slept. The only difference was that now he knew Doctor I’s real name.

But he didn’t know his own name.

\--

_She’s taller than you, and waving, and you’re running to her—while also running away from the guards, but they’ll catch up, they always do--_

Doctor J didn’t wake up screaming, but he did sigh when he realized it was a dream. He’d had it, time to time, but it’d been years since the last one.

He wish he knew why it came back.

\--

“Good afternoon, best friend,” Ryuuji said (that was going to take some getting used to, but if he was willing to risk letting Doctor J know his real name, then he would use it) after the bug blocker was turned on. “Hey.” He frowned at Doctor J. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Doctor J shook his head. “I just… wow. You know your real name, Ryuuji.”

Ryuuji nodded. “That’s because I haven’t been here too long—at least, not compared to you and the others. I was eighteen when they grabbed me.”

“And I’ve know you for five years, so you’re twenty-three. The same age as me.” He’d known that they were the same age, but actually having a number was something else. “How—how did you convince them to let you remember your name?”

Ryuuji looked very sad, and Doctor J had a weird feeling that Ryuuj was sad for him, not himself, but he didn’t say anything. “Well, they’ve tried brainwashing it out of me, more than once, but I’ve managed to keep my memories intact.” He touched Doctor J’s arm. “We’ll keep talking at dinner, all right? Your bug blocker’s about to go off.”

“O-okay. And sorry.” Doctor J got ready to return to his equations. “We didn’t really figure out a way to get more freedom around here.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Ryuuji whispered over his shoulder. “You’re important, too. No matter what they tell you, you’re more than a robot maker.”

Hunh. Maybe he was.

\--

_This time, she’s yelling something—don’t get caught, if you can reach her you’ll be safe, and—and your name, but you can’t hear her, and they grab you and take you away again—_

“Who is she,” Doctor J whispered to the ceiling when he woke up.

He didn’t know, but he suspected.

\--

“I’ve managed to boost this little guy’s battery,” Doctor J began as he turned on the bug blocker. “So we can talk for about fifteen minutes. We don’t need as much as video we used to, either.” He had trouble sleeping last night, so he’d worked until the bug blocker could create video, and not have to rely on filming them first to create the illusion that they were still working. “We could probably talk in the rec room next time.”

“That might be a good idea,” Ryuuji said as he poked at his potatoes. “You’re very good at what you do.”

“Oh. Well, thank you!” It was always nice to be complimented. And the way Ryuuji said it—quietly, but firmly—was different from the guards and suits. They always smiled a little too much, and spoke too much about how he was so very, very useful to them. “I made you a flash drive, by the way.” It was easier to make them then “borrow” one from the lab. “It has all my work. And I’ve made sure no one will detect you as you review it.”

“Thank you.”

“I don’t mind at all. If it means we can move around a little more, I’m all for it.”

“Well, I’ll take it to my quarters and see what I can do.” Ryuuji glanced up at him. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Why?”

Ryuuji gave him a look. “You haven’t smiled once, even when I gave you kudos. Usually, you’re glowing when you get praise.”

Well, he and Ryuuji were best friends now. And if Ryuuji was willing to listen, and they still had a little time, he was willing to talk. “I’ve been having nightmares.”

Ryuuji shifted in his seat. “Tell me about them.”

“I’m being chased, by guys who look a lot like the guards here. And, um. There’s this lady. I can’t see her face or hear what she’s saying, but I just know she’s on my side, Ryuuji, and—well—” What was his chest hurting all of a sudden?

“You think she’s your mother.” Ryuuji reached out and squeezed his hand.

That made Doctor J feel a little better. “Yeah. I think so.”

“The bug blocker’s about to go off,” Ryuuji reminded him, as he got ready to pretend they were just eating again. “But come to my quarters—make yourself a pass. Then we can talk about her more, if you want.”

The guards could hear them again, so Doctor J couldn’t thank him. But he did smile.

\--

“Hey,” Doctor J handed Ryuuji two tote bags. “I got all the parts we’re gonna need. Some snacks, too.”

“Snacks?” Ryuuji peeked into the second bag, pulling out two snack cakes and juice cans. “You’re getting bold. Aren’t you worried about getting caught?”

“Nah—the lunch lady gave them to me. She likes me.” Doctor J began organizing his things. “And I made my pass for the maximum amount of hours—eight.”

“Eight?!” Ryuuji nearly dropped his wrench. “How did you manage that?”

“I told my supervisor that we’re working on some support zords.” Doctor J flipped his hair. “She praised me for my work ethic.”

Ryuuji didn’t look completely convinced, but he shrugged as he booted up his lap top. “So we’ll be together all night. Reminds me a little of the sleepovers I used to have a kid.”

“What’s a sleepover?”

Ryuuji looked sad. “That’s right, you wouldn’t… well, on the outside, sometimes kids will spend the night at each other’s house. It’s usually to celebrate a birthday.”

“That sounds cooler than what we do.” All he got was guards and a cake. “Did you go to a lot of sleepovers growing up?”

Ryuuji grimaced. “I wasn’t very popular growing up. I was too serious, and too focused on building robots.”

“Well, that’s not fair.” Doctor J ripped open his snack cake. “I guess they just didn’t realized how great you are. **I** would invite you to my sleepovers.”

“I appreciate it.” Ryuuji took a sip of juice. “So, do you want to work, or discuss your mother first?”

It was a little scary, but… “The second. Of course, I’m not sure if she’s my mom, but if I’m dreaming of her, more than once, then there’s a pretty good chance I have more memories of my mom than I thought, right?” Was he rambling? He probably was rambling. He tended to do that when he was nervous. The doctors and guards were always scolding him for it.

“It would make sense.” Ryuuji rested his chin in his hand. “I will admit, I was a little surprised when you brought her up. I thought you were one of the students brought here from birth.”

“I pretty much was. I was three when they brought me here.” All he remembered personally was thinking that the building was big. Anything else was lost in a haze of tests and programs. “I was too young to really remember anything outside, though.”

Ryuuji nodded. “But that means there might me some memories in there somewhere, right? All we have to is see if we can jog them.”

Woah. Jin straddled a computer chair, and scooted over to Ryuuji. “You can do that?”

Ryuuji coughed. “Well. I’ve seen it on television, so I think I have the basic idea. It’s not like we really have any other plan to follow.”

Doctor J shrugged. “I guess I can’t argue with that. So, what do we do first?”

Ryuuji stood up, hands on Doctor J’s shoulders. Doctor J noticed that they were very cold. Maybe he had poor circulation? “Close your eyes, and take deep breaths.”

Doctor J did just that. “Now what?”

“Try thinking about that dream. Tell me everything you see.”

“There’s a lady. She’s about my age now, maybe. I can’t really see her face.”

He could sense Ryuuji leaning in. “You said she was trying to talk to you. Can you remember anything?”

Doctor J took the deepest breath he could, trying to remember each dream, detail, going further and further…

_…that’s my boy… my boy, stay sway… Jin…_

“Jin!”

For a moment, he wondered why Ryuuji was on the floor. Then he realized it was because he’d bolted upright.

“Aw, geez, Ryuuji, I’m sorry.” This was not how you were supposed your best friend, especially after that’d helped you remember your mother, and maybe even… he helped Ryuuji up. “Jin. She’s saying my name—Jin.” A name. A real name—not just a title and a letter to keep him apart from the other doctors.

Ryuuji grinned, holding him by the arms. “Really? That’s fantastic!”

“I know!” He hugged Ryuuji, and Ryuuji hugged him back. “Now if I just knew if that was my first name or my last name.”

“It’s a start.” Ryuuji helped him into a chair. “Listen, Jin.”

That was gonna be weird getting used to, but Doctor—but Jin, he couldn’t call himself that around the guards, but he could start calling himself that in his head at least—decided he could deal. “Yeah?”

Ryuuji placed a hand on Jin’s shoulder. “Why don’t we call it a night concerning work.”

“But weren’t you the one who’s always wanting more freedom and stuff?”

“I am,” Ryuuji admitted. His eyes were shadowed. “However, you’ve just remembered your mother and your name. You probably need some time to process it.” He squeezed Jin’s hand, and Jin felt something warm go through him. “Why don’t we have an actual sleep over instead?”

Jin felt warm again. “Yes!”

\--

“I have two siblings. Hiromu and Youko.”

“How old are they?”

“Well, let’s do some math. They were eleven and six, respectively, when I was kidnapped when I was eighteen. That means Hiromu is sixteen and Youko is eleven.” Ryuuji stared up at the ceiling. They’d had their snacks and juice, and talked about robots, and Jin listened to Ryuuji talk about the shows and films he’d seen when he was outside (and if Jin was ever outside, he was gonna watch all of them, especially the show about the android that worked on a starship). Now it was late, and they were both lying on Ryuuji’s bed, and Jin had finally found a subtle way to ask about Ryuuji’s family.

“I bet they miss you a lot.”

“I know I do.” Ryuuji’s eyes were fixed on the ceiling, but Jin could see how bright they. “My parents, too. But it’s been five years, and you just know Alphabet Soup figured out some excuse for my absence.” He rubbed at his eyes. “I—I wish I could say that they miss me, but they’ve probably moved on. But maybe that’s a good thing, maybe—”

It was kinda weird, since they were in bed, but Jin managed to hug Ryuuji tight. “They remember. They miss you.”

“How can you be so sure. You’ve never met them.” Ryuuji’s tone was dull to the point of death.

“You’ve been talking about them all night—if they’re half as cool and tough as you say they are, they’re probably working on a plan to rescue you. Besides, who would want to forget someone as awesome as you are?”

Ryuuji smiled, if only a tiny bit. “Thank you.”

“Hey, you helped me remember my mom and my name. I think we’re pretty much even.”

Ryuuji huffed, pulling away from Jin gently. “That’s right, and here I was just going on about my family while you just learned you have one. Not to mention we both need to sleep.”

“I didn’t mind. I liked hearing about them.” He just knew that Hiromu was really cool. And Youko would probably like to see all the robots they’d built. It was a shame that they’d never get to meet again, but maybe one day they could send an email. Something.

He’d figure something out for Ryuuji.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Best Friends Forever (2/?)  
Fandom: Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters/Power Rangers RPM  
Characters/Pairing: Iwasaki Ryuuji/Jin Masato  
Rating: PG  
Disclaimer: Not mine, anything mentioned here by name isn't mine  
Warnings: OC death, kidnappings, dystopia (all that fun stuff)  
Notes: This summer, I'd like to complete at least some of my WiP. So here's more of my Go-Busters/RPM verse. :o

\--

Jin and Ryuuji fell in a quiet, almost comfortable rhythm after the sleepover. They’d work and talk whenever they could—which thanks to the bug blocker, was becoming more and more often. They still couldn’t do any of the things Jin was aiming for (like sneaking into the Zord Bay unattended), but they could actually be together more than a few minutes a day now, and that was something he was very grateful for.

Because… because he was starting to realize that he more than just liked Ryuuji anymore.

He didn’t know a lot about relationships—any questions were ignored by the doctors and guards. His schoolmates were as clueless as he was. And while Ryuuji knew about relationships, if only in theory, there was no point in asking the person he was crushing (Jin was fairly sure that was the word) on. He was pretty sure that going up to Ryuuji and saying _Hey, I have no idea how love works, but I have a strong suspicion that I feel that for you, wanna date_ would not end well. Besides, he was fine with the way things were now: working quietly and just being with his best friend.

Like tonight, when they were working on a way to create an email system, just for them. It would mean less personal contact, but it’d be more secure. Jin was both okay and not okay with that.

He looked up, and Ryuuji’s was hunched over a blue notebook. Weird. Most of the denizens of Alphabet Soup, Ryuuji included, would work on laptops. “Whatcha doing?”

“Nothing. Just plotting.” Ryuuji shut the notebook, and smiled at him. “I’ll show you when it’s ready.”

Jin shrugged. Curiosity satisfied, he returned to his work.

\--

It was probably a good thing that they were working on an email system, because Jin suspected the guards knew they were up to something. Usually, he was partnered with Ryuuji, but they were splitting them up today.

“Jin, it’s been ages!” Gem beamed at him. “Are you glad to see us? Do you still have that unicorn we drew you on your wall?”

“Have you made any new friends?” Gemma also beamed at him.

“Yes, yes, and yes!” It was good to see them again. He wasn’t as close to the other people in Alphabet Soup as Ryuuji—but Jin was pretty sure he’d never be as close to anyone as he was to Ryuuji—but they were very nice. “You know R—Doctor I?”

“Tall, thin, frowny?” Gem did a disturbingly good impression of said frown.

“Also has a habit of gazing off into the distance sadly?” Gemma tapped her chin. “We’ve seen him once or twice.”

They were in one of the older labs, where you could whisper and the guards couldn’t hear you. Still, Jin turned on the bug blocker, just to be safe. “Well,” and Jin leaned in, “we’re officially best friends now.”

“Woah!” They said in unison.

“How did you manage that?” Gem scratched his head. “Doctor I is so, well…”

“Surly,” Gemma finished. “That’s our new word for the day.”

“Well,” and Jin stretched lazily, “I guess I just have the type of personality that he warms up to.”

Jin’s third lab partner laughed, but it wasn’t a nice sound.

Jin frowned. “You have a problem with my personality, Doctor K?” He was going to be nice to her, because Gem and Gemma liked her. But she was more than a little mean, and he wasn’t in the mood to be picked on.

“Yes,” Doctor K responded, “But that’s not the point. Doctor J, do you know anything about Doctor I? I don’t just mean his engineering expertise.”

_He’s my age, he misses his parents and siblings, and he likes something called a Next Generation_ was what Jin wanted to say, but that would have blown his cover, so instead he settled for “Of course I do.” Jin folded his arms across his chest. “He’s my friend.”

“Really. Well, I’ve worked with Doctor I extensively, so I know what his goals are, and they’re not friendship.” She gazed at Jin levelly. “He wants out.”

Jin pretended to smile. “No. He’s not happy here, but who is?” 

“We are,” Gem said.

“But admittedly, it’s more because we choose to be,” Gemma added. “Otherwise, we’d be as surly as Doctor K and Doctor I!”

Jin decided to ignore them for now. “He would have at least told me.”

Doctor K returned her attention to her computer. “If he tells you, then you become an extra variable in his escape plan. Has he been hiding anything from you recently?”

“No. Well.” Jin felt dizzy. “He has a notebook.”

“Check that notebook.” She glanced at Jin over her shoulder. “Look, Doctor J, I don’t want to sound mean—sorry, surly,” she revised when Gem and Gemma sulked at her. “But you need to understand that there’s a very real possibility that he’s manipulating you—which would involve setting you up to face subsequent punishment—if and when he escapes.”

“Maybe,” Jin admitted unhappily. “But just you wait. I will check, and it’ll be nothing. Then I’m gonna never let you forget that you were wrong about him.”

Doctor K sighed. “For your sake, I hope I am wrong.”

\--

Jin’s first thought was to just ask Ryuuji what was in the notebook—they were friends, and he trusted him. But then he remembered he had tried that, and Ryuuji had refused, so he was going to have to be sneaky. And over the past few months, he now knew so many ways to be sneaky—except Ryuuji knew those ways as well. So, as silly as it was, he was going to have to rely on the “look at that” excuse.

But maybe, if he played it cool, it could work.

He waited for their next sleepover, and when Ryuuji was fully absorbed in work. Jin could tell because he would sigh sometimes while working on an equation, and his nose would scrunch up if he got something wrong. It was adorable. 

The notebook was under the desk, almost completely hidden by some old papers. He would have to make Ryuuji get up if he was going to look at it.

“Ryuuji, could you get me a juice?” There was nothing in his tone that would suggest anything strange.

“Sure.” Ryuuji smiled, and stood up. “I probably need a quick break, anyways.”

Jin did his best to smile back—but then Ryuuji’s back was turned, and he somehow managed to grab the blasted notebook without making a sound. He all but tore it open, and… 

And…

He felt like he was going to throw up.

“What flavor would you like, mango or—” Ryuuji dropped both juice boxes. “I can explain.”

“I don’t think you need to,” Jin managed. “I understand the math. You’re planning to leave here. Leave me.”

“Jin—”

“I-I can’t blame you.” He was so queasy, he had to fight to get the words out. “This place sucks. And you have family and people who want you around and what you had out there is clearly much better than what you have here.”

“Jin, please—”

“But I want you around, too!” It was a mistake to raise his voice. Someone might notice them. Jin took a breath before speaking. “Ryuuji, I like you. More than anything. And yeah, don’t worry, I’ll take this secret to my grave. But I thought—it’s just—I thought we were friends, but all this time you were tricking me to help you out so you could leave me here, with them, and—”

“Jin.” Ryuuji’s voice was laced with steel. “Read what’s in the rest of the notebook.”

Too numb to argue, Jin turned the page, checked the math, then double checked the math… and made a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob.

Ryuuji closed the space between them, smiling sadly. “I was originally planning to escape alone. But then I met you, and I realized that I couldn’t leave you here.”

Jin stared at the equations, all written in neat blue ink. “Even after I just accused you of seeing me as a means to an end?”

Ryuuji huffed. “Even then. Although I should have told you sooner. I’m sorry. It just it didn’t seem possible until recently.”

“Heck, it seemed impossible to me until I snuck a peek at your work,” Jin breathed. “But we really could do it.” Ryuuji could show him all the things he’d told him about. He might even get to meet Ryuuji’s family. “But what about the others?”

“Once we’re established, we’ll figure out a way to save them. But we need to escape ourselves for that to happen.” Ryuuji rubbed the back of his neck. “That is, if you want to come with me.”

It was scary, even thinking about this. But getting away from the suits and the sessions and the same projects and questions, over and over… getting to see Ryuuji whenever he wanted… 

“I’m in.”

Ryuuji sighed in relief. “Good, because I can’t do it without your help.”

“Well, yeah, I’m that good. And here’s your notebook back.” Jin handed it back with a much easier grin this time. “Sorry about all that.”

Ryuuji placed it on the desk this time. “Don’t be.” But then he glanced at Jin, looking… looking a little shy? Weird. “Jin. Do you… do you really like me?”

Hm? Oh… “Yeah. I think so.” 

Ryuuji glanced at the desk. “But you’re so fun and smart and upbeat. I could never have that kind of energy.”

“You’re smart and fun, too. You’re just quieter about it,” Jin assured him. “And you don’t need to have my energy level—not when you’re so patient and kind. You’re way kinder than anyone I’ve ever met.” Jin took Ryuuij’s hand gently, in case he wanted to pull away. Ryuuji didn’t. “And you’re brave and brilliant and you wanna help everyone. I couldn’t do any better, when it comes to affections.”

“I, um.” Ryuuji was still staring at the desk. “I like you, too. I guess I just assumed—”

“That you’re too glum and sad for an upbeat guy like me?”

“A little.”

With his free hand, Jin touched the left side of Ryuuji’s face, so Ryuuji would look at him. “Maybe I like glum and sad guys.”

Ryuuji laughed, a little. “Then I’m in.”

It was time for Jin to go, so he said a hasty good-bye as he gathered his things. It was hard not to beam while passing the guards, but he managed.

\--

“I spoke with Doctor I.”

“And?”

Jin kept his eyes on his laptop. “He’s just working on that new Megazord in his spare time. That’s all.”

“Oh.”

Jin and Doctor K didn’t speak after that. He felt bad—because while no one (except Ryuuji and now himself) thought they could escape, they all wanted to. And if this plan worked, then they could come back for her, and Gem and Gemma, and the others. But this plan could only work if he didn’t tell her.

Jin finished work, and left so he could meet with some of the higher ranking scientists.

He thought he heard Doctor K mutter something about how she was never sorrier to be wrong under her breath, but he must have imagined that.

\--

“Hey, Gem. Hey, Gemma.” Jin waved at them.

They both waved back in unison, but did not look at him.

Hmm. “So, what’re you two working on—”

“Nothing!” Gemma shouted, slamming her laptop shut.

“Yes, absolutely nothing at all!” Gem also shouted and shut his laptop—but not before Jin caught a glimpse of Gem’s suit.

A suit that, judging from what he saw could withstand any sort of attack, along with some _very_ advanced weapons. But he didn’t see anything about how it was supposed to work with their current project at all.

“Um, okay.” Jin pretended to work. If Gem and Gemma were building a suit (possibly suits) that were powerful enough to escape, if they wanted.

Maybe it was time to talk to Ryuuji.

\--

Except there was no time to talk to Ryuuji—or anyone else. After that, something changed. The guards and scientists were always talking to each other—and way more eager to punish anyone who questioned them. None of them had ever really been chatty before, but now everyone seemed to be isolating themselves—K was busy with her mystery project, Gem and Gemma were busy with their mystery projects, and he and Ryuuji were busy trying to escape. Jin didn’t really like it—he missed talking to Gem and Gemma especially—but getting them out of here would be much better than anything else. So it was time to start seriously working.

It was getting harder to see Ryuuji—the guards were beginning to inspect his passes, and one terrifying night they came very close to rejecting it (it was only when Jin convinced them it was just a typo that they let him go). But they managed. As far as Jin was concerned, they would keep managed until they were away from here and he was with Ryuuji, and Ryuuji was his family.

And maybe Jin could find his mother as well.

\--

“So Sisko goes to find his wife and kid, because they’re on the ship as well.” Ryuuji leaned in, and Jin found himself just a little distracted how Ryuuji’s hair obscured his right eye. “His son, Jake, is fine, but Jennifer is dead.”

“Oh, no!”

Ryuuji nodded sadly. “The Bolian had to drag Sisko away, he was so upset.”

“Wow.” Jin put his chin in his hands. “That’s really sad. Does the story get any happier?”

“Of course it does—but I better save that for next time.” Jin went still as Ryuuji pushed Jin’s hair away from his face. “Although if all goes as planned, you might actually be able to see it for yourself.”

“You really think so?” 

Ryuuji nodded again, this time with a smile. “Things are progressing more quickly than I thought.”

“I don’t know.” It wasn’t like him, to be this serious. Usually, it was the other way around. But things had been so unsettling lately… “I think the guards might be suspicious.”

“Jin, they’re always suspicious.”

“Yeah, but this time… I can’t really explain it.” So he doubted he could get super logical engineer Ryuuji to understand. “It feels like something is changing.” He huffed, and waited for Ryuuji to point out all the holes in his logic.

But Ryuuji just nudged his shoulder. “We are planning to escape after all.”

“I think we’re not the only ones, Ryuuji.” It was time to tell him. “I think Gem and Gemma are planning on an escape plan of their own.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yep. And listen, Ryuuji.” Jin shifted so he could look him in the eyes. “Our plan is good, but if we have some support, it’d be even better.”

Ryuuji frowned. “I’m not sure if we can trust them.”

“There was a point where you didn’t trust me, right?”

“Well, yes, but—”

“I’ll talk to them. Don’t worry, I won’t tell them anything important. I’m just going to see where they stand.”

“… All right. Just be careful, okay?” Ryuuji rested his forehead against Jin’s.

“Sure.” And this was a little bold, even if they’d been kinda sorta together for a few weeks now. “Hey. Um. Is kissing okay at this point?”

Ryuuji blinked, then laughed softly. “Yes, I think so.”

The first few moments were awkward, as both of them tried to arrange themselves and figure out what exactly to do—while it was a relief to know Ryuuji wasn’t used to kissing as well, it wasn’t helping the actual act. Finally, Jin placed his hand on Ryuuji’s shoulder, tilted his head, and captured Ryuuji’s lips, and **_wow_**.

This was amazing.

But he had to pull away, because he had to leave. “I gotta go.”

“I wish you didn’t,” Ryuuji whispered hoarsely, running his fingers through Jin’s hair.

Jin closed his eyes, allowing himself to enjoy the sensation for a moment—just a moment. “Whelp, once we’re free, we can kiss all we want.” 

He made sure his face and body language were neutral as he went past the guards, but Jin was already inwardly vowing to learn about romance the instant he and Ryuuji were outside.

\--

Jin woke up to sirens. And an unlocked door.

Warily (because aside from the sirens and door, things seemed fine, at least for now), Jin trotted outside his room, only to find Ryuuji running up to him. “Doctor I?” It was weird, but they were in public. “What the heck is going on?”

Ryuuji shook his head. “I only know a little—but apparently one of the other Doctors did something to the main computers, but it’s taking over **everything**. He took Jin’s hand. “C’mon. We don’t have time to talk to Gem and Gemma, but we can—”

Two guards grabbed Ryuuji hard enough to pull him from Jin’s grasp.

Another guard grabbed Jin, wrestling him away.

“Lemme go!” Jin snarled, and fought, but the guard held him fast. “Ryuuji—Ryuuji, I won’t leave you!”

“Jin, you need to—” But then one of Ryuuji’s “guards” sedated him, muttering something about how they didn’t have time for this.

Ryuuji went limp, not resisting in the least as the guards took him away.

“Doctor J, we must leave.” Jin’s “guard” slung him over his shoulder, and all the screaming/punching/crying in the world didn’t make him let go.

\--

“Let me go, I wanna be with Ryuuji, ya jerk!” Jin was only too aware that he wasn’t going to be set free, but he also wasn’t going to go without a fight.

The guard was leading them to one of the garages. “Doctor J, if we’re going to escape the Venjix virus, we have to—”

The guard collapsed. They both fell to the floor.

Jin managed to get up. Upon doing so, he learned two things: the guard was dead, and a robotic monster had shot him. 

And the robot was about to shoot him.

Until Jin grabbed the guard’s blaster, and shot the robot.

Jin fought off a wave of intense dizziness as he stood up. The guard was dead. Probably more people were dead. Ryuuji was gone, maybe forever. Someone wanted him and everyone else in Alphabet Soup dead. And it looked like they could succeed.

Jin almost passed out again as he made it to the jeep.

But… but… Ryuuji would want him to escape, and then save him. That was the plan. He just needed to focus on the plan for now.

Jin grabbed the blaster, and whatever tools looked helpful, piling them into the jeep. Then he steeled himself for getting the keys from the now dead guard.

After a terrifying couple of minutes, he hopped in the driver’s seat, buckled up, and hoped that driving was similar to the Megazord piloting simulations.

\--

The domed city of Corinth looked foreboding, but Jin suspected that was mostly because it was the one thing on the horizon. Everything else was a wasteland.

He stopped, and turned off the jeep. He needed a quick lunch break (a meal bar and a bottled water—he was able to live by helping out other survivors outside the domes makes what was left of the machines still work) before he got to work.

This world was not like the one Ryuuji had described, at all. It was dangerous, and terrifying.

But he had met people outside the little bubble he’d lived in all his life. Some of them had been cruel, but many more had been just as kind as Ryuuji. Maybe if they had some way to rebuild their cities, the world Ryuuji loved so much could return.

He would try. And he would find Ryuuji. If he had managed to escape and make his way to Corinth, then he had no doubt that Ryuuji had done the same.

Jin patted his work materials, secured in the passenger seat. He was sure that he could find Ryuuji here, and he had a plan to make that happen.


End file.
